RNC Day 2: Here's what to expect from the second night of the Republican convention
Washington — Republicans from across the country are returning Tuesday to Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum for Day 2 of the Republican National Convention, after a busy kickoff day that featured a formal nomination of former President Donald Trump, the highly anticipated announcement of his running mate — and Trump's first public appearance since an attack on his life over the weekend.
Delegates gathered on the floor of Fiserv Forum Monday afternoon, where the GOP adopted its 16-page platform, which was heavily influenced by the former president. The delegates went on to officially nominate Trump as the Republican presidential nominee before nominating his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Trump first announced Vance as his running mate in a social media post, calling Vance the "person best suited" for the job while touting his education, military and business records.
A number of prominent Republican lawmakers, candidates and officials spoke on the first day of the convention, including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Byron Donalds of Florida. With a focus on the economy, the Republicans took aim at President Biden, while touting a better outlook under a second Trump administration.
Near the night's close, Trump made an appearance at the convention center. With a bandage on his ear, the former president joined members of his family and his new running mate in a box, as chants of "we love Trump" reverberated through the crowd. Trump is expected to accept the party's nomination on Thursday, as the convention continues.
What's on the agenda?
Each day of the convention features a theme that plays off of Trump's "Make America Great Again" tagline. While Monday's theme was "Make America Wealthy Once Again," Tuesday's theme is "Make America Safe Once Again."
The theme is a nod to what the Trump campaign calls the Biden administration's "soft-on-crime" policies that it says have created "dystopian nightmares" out of American cities and communities, which Trump plans to correct.
The first official session of the day gets underway at 5 p.m. CT, or 6 p.m. ET. For a detailed schedule of events, see the RNC's master calendar on their website.
Who's speaking?
A slew of GOP Senate candidates are set to take the stage, including Kari Lake, who's seeking an Arizona seat. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who's also running for Senate, is on the schedule as well, as is Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. And top members of House Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, are set to address the convention.
Some of Trump's former rivals in the primary — Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley — are likewise expected to address the crowd. And Sen. Marco Rubio, who was a top contender for Trump's vice presidential pick, will also speak.
Convention-goers will hear from the first Trump family member Tuesday night, RNC co-chair Lara Trump, who is married to his son Eric Trump.
How to watch the 2024 RNC with cable
CBS television stations will have coverage beginning at 10 p.m. ET during the four days. Find your local CBS station here.
How to watch the 2024 RNC without cable
CBS News 24/7 will have coverage of the convention throughout the day and will stream each night's keynote speeches, and can also be viewed on your mobile or streaming device.